Kaupthing, the bank at the heart of the Icelandic financial collapse, lent
billions of pounds to companies linked to a key director and top
shareholders, according to leaked internal documents.

The papers appear to cast light on Kaupthing's highly unusual lending practices just two weeks before the Icelandic system failed last October, wiping out millions of pounds of savings deposited by UK local authorities and charities.

It reveals that its highest loans, totalling more than €6.4bn (£5.45bn), was given to companies connected to just six clients, four of whom were major shareholders in the company. Kaupthing granted some of these loans with partial or no collateral, the largest of which was given to Exista, its biggest shareholder with a 22pc stake.

The bank, which had a huge retail depositor base in the UK, was also lending millions of pounds to individuals and holding companies so that they could buy shares in Kaupthing itself – effectively propping up its own share price.

It is understood that the 205-page document, published on the internet over the weekend, was presented at an internal meeting at Kaupthing on September 25 last year. It details the loans to companies and high-profile individuals such as Kevin Stanford, Robert Tchenguiz, the Candy brothers and Simon Halabi.

Among some of the bank's biggest borrowers, were companies connected to:

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Lydur Gudmundsson, who founded the Bakkavor food empire that employs 20,000, many in the UK. Mr Gudmundsson, who sat on the board of Kaupthing and Exista, was granted loans worth €1.86bn for companies linked to him and his brother, Agust. One note detailing a €791.2m loan to Exista itself admits that "bulk of the loans are unsecured and with no covenants".

Robert Tchenguiz, the London-based property entrepreneur and board member of Exista, was loaned €1.74bn to finance his private investments.Last night, Mr Tchenguiz confirmed that he had been the bank's biggest client, but declined to comment further.

Kevin Stanford, the retail entrepreneur and director of House of Fraser, who emerges in the document as Kaupthing's fourth largest shareholder. He was given a €519m loan to buy shares – of which €181m were in Kaupthing itself, using those same shares as collateral.

There is no suggestion that any of the shareholders acted illegally.

Tony Shearer, who was chief executive of the 100-year-old British bank Singer & Friedlander when it was taken over by Kaupthing in 2006, expressed his deep concern that the Financial Services Authority had not examined the Icelandic bank's books more carefully.

"The leaked document shows absolutely appalling practices," he said. "Anybody reading that document could see it is a totally unbalanced loan book. You just cannot lend money for someone to buy shares in yourself."

Kaupthing was one of three Icelandic banks, along with Glitnir and Landsbanki, that collapsed last October, forcing the British Government to pay out £7.4bn to 460,000 savers who had lost their money.

One banking analyst said. "It is inconceivable that this could go on in the UK. But the bank was allowed to set up here and take deposits from customers."